Athens, Greece. Hundreds of firefighters continued battling a major wildfire in western Attica overnight, focusing on flare-ups across a fire front that has burned more than 130,000 stremmas, or 130 square kilometres. Two helicopter crew members were killed during the operation.
Firefighting operation
Ground crews focused on three main areas: the northern and northeastern section opposite Psatha, between Agia Paraskevi, Agios Nektarios and the summit of Mount Kithairon; the southwestern area between Psatha and Loumpa, where the fire remained most active; and the southern front from Kandili towards Megara.
The Greek fire service said firefighters and volunteers worked through the night to contain active hotspots across the extensive fire perimeter.
A total of 450 firefighters, 126 fire engines, 22 specialist forest firefighting teams, volunteers and water tankers remained deployed. Earth-moving machinery from the regions of Attica and Central Greece and the Directorate for Construction and Natural Disaster Response continued opening firebreaks in cooperation with the forestry service.
Aerial support and spread
On Monday, 34 aircraft took part in aerial firefighting operations, including 23 fixed-wing planes and 11 helicopters. Three helicopters were used for coordination, while the armed forces’ Deucalion disaster response unit also assisted.
The wildfire began in neighbouring Boeotia on Friday, July 31, before spreading into western Attica. It destroyed homes and properties as it expanded.
Helicopter collision
The operation was overshadowed on Sunday by a fatal mid-air collision involving two leased Bell firefighting helicopters near Psatha. Two crew members aboard one of the aircraft were killed.
Burned area and assessments
Satellite analysis by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, processed by the National Observatory of Athens’ Meteo.gr team, showed that by 12.16pm on Monday the fire had burned more than 130,000 stremmas across Attica and Boeotia.
About 30,900 stremmas burned in Boeotia, while around 102,000 stremmas were affected by the Porto Germeno fire in Attica, which remained active, bringing the total burned area to about 132,900 stremmas.
Government inspection teams continued assessing damage in affected communities, while Deputy Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Costas Katsafados held coordination meetings.
